On October 15, we held our annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. We titled our event Heart’s Harvest because this year has been
one of growth and transformation while maintaining our mission,
our heart. We’ve moved to a new work space at 1100 Mission,
nearer the hospital as well as the chaplains and social workers
who refer patients. We’ve become a project of St. Camillus Center
for Spiritual Care, deepening our ties with St. Camillus and the
chaplains they train, while allowing us to share their resources
for things like administration, insurance, and accounting in order
to concentrate more of our resources to direct patient care. So we
are now poised to harvest the fruits of our changes with our heart
intact and beating stronger than ever, to meet otherwise unmet
needs of patients and families. Follow these links for more information about our event:

Your Angel Interfaith Network Leadership Council has been working hard to overcome the many challenges that the financial downturn has caused. We have found a way to reduce our costs, which means that more of your contributions go directly to patient services. We have found a way to be closer to our patients, with more opportunity to connect as they are leaving the hospital; to our referral sources, the social workers and the chaplains in the Department of Spiritual Care and to CARES our collaborator on in-kind needs.

Angel Interfaith Network is moving on the LAC + USC Medical Center campus! This is possible because we have further strengthened our relationship with St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care and we will now operate as a separate project under the auspices of St. Camillus Center. They are also an interfaith 501(c)(3) whose missions closely aligns with that of Angel Interfaith Network. Your contributions to the Angel Interfaith Network remain tax deductible (funds go to a restricted account for Angel Interfaith Network.) We will continue to maintain a presence at Calvary Presbyterian Church, South Pasadena, since that's more convenient for some donors and volunteers. Most importantly, our mission to meet unmet needs of patients and families at LAC + USC Medical Network is unchanged and we believe our new configuration will help us serve more effectively and efficiently.

In October we took a risk and held our annual benefit in a new and larger venue. It was a great success. Volunteers set the room with bright yellow flowers, we honored long serving volunteers and shared stories of light from both volunteer and patient perspectives while enjoying a lovely meal, cakewalk, auction and opportunity drawing. Click here to see pictures from the event.

We raised over $21,000 to support the work of Angel Interfaith Network. Key to that success was the generosity of our sponsors.

Fr. Chris Ponnet, in his role as chaplain in the LAC + USC Department of Spiritual Care, was featured in the Los Angeles Times recently, click here to read >

Online AIN Discoveries

Have you discovered the new Facebook page for Angel Interfaith Network yet? Take this opportunity to find it here and become a fan. We have aspiring Eagle Scout Kevin Tan of Troop # 7 (South Pasadena), pictured here, to thank for helping us to discover the possibilities of social networking as we seek to attract young volunteers. Assigned the ambitious project of designing and launching a “youth volunteer program” for AIN, Kevin helped us discover how useful a Facebook page could be in communicating with a new audience. His timing was perfect.

At the same time the board of Angel Interfaith Network was engaged in listening, learning and sharing experiences as it considered how our organization could adapt to changing times. How do we better serve patient families, communicate our story to supporters and thrive in a rapidly changing and challenging environment? They tell us that “baby boomers” volunteer in order to change the status quo, while “Generation X” wants to develop professionally and acquire skills through volunteer work. “Millenials” and younger are another story altogether! It’s not surprising that preferred styles of communication differ as well.

We decided that Facebook was the perfect vehicle to reintroduce our supporters to GoodSearch and GoodShop. Over the past year GoodSearch and GoodShop have been a modest source of income for AIN. The Yahoo-based search engine contributes to AIN every time a user naming “Angel Interfaith Network” as its charity of choice uses it to conduct online searches or to shop online. We’re hoping that our new Facebook constituency is one ready to adapt its online activity to benefit AIN and the patients of LAC + USC Medical Center. Click here to learn more about GoodSearch and GoodShop and how easy it is to use.

Another recent experience inspired a longtime AIN supporter to envision a program he calls “Desktop Angels.” We needed to find a bunkbed in a hurry for the family of a young girl with leukemia forced to move in with family in a distant end of the county. The volunteer put out word to contacts to search online through Craigslist and other sites to find out what was available. In no time, the bunkbed was obtained and costs associated with it were covered. We know there are others out there ready and willing to conduct similar searches when a need arises. Call us at 323-226-6923 if this form of volunteer service interests you. You can earn your wings as a “Desktop Angel” right at home!

Now in its 21st year of service to patients and families of L.A. County + USC Medical Center, AIN looks to you to help us to successfully negotiate the promises and perils of the 21st century!

Although the official "opening" of the NEW LAC + USC Medical Center was postponed from 10/17 to 11/7, there was a festive welcome and tour for L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina on Saturday, October 4th. Click here to see photos.